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1961 Map of Berenda

Name: 1961 Topographic Map of Berenda
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1962
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1962

About this map

Fairmead and Berenda center this early 1960s survey of Madera County, where the agricultural grid of the San Joaquin Valley is defined by complex irrigation and heavy rail infrastructure. The landscape is dominated by the dual lines of the Southern Pacific and the Atchison Topeka and Santa Fe railroads, which parallel the major thoroughfares of Chowchilla Boulevard and Fairmead Boulevard. A network of water management features, including the Berenda Slough and multiple laterals like Califa Lateral A, supports the orchards and fields that dominate the terrain.

Local civic life is anchored by landmarks such as the Dixieland School and the Grange Hall. This map provides a look at the mid-century rural economy before further modernization, capturing specialized sites like a Borrow Pit, an Airstrip, and a dedicated Airport at the southern edge. The distribution of numerous water wells across the section lines illustrates the intensive irrigation required to sustain the valley's productivity during this era.